


Loss

by fortheloveoflestrade



Category: Primeval
Genre: But I'm cleaning out my drafts so why not, F/M, Grieving, Honestly these are so old, Mostly Abby/Connor, Multi, canonical character deaths
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-11 14:09:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8984038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fortheloveoflestrade/pseuds/fortheloveoflestrade





	1. Stephen

The night following the funeral is quiet.

Both of them stay in the sitting room—Abby mostly by Rex’s cage and Connor on the couch. Neither speak.

The clock ticks on. As still as it seems in the apartment, time keeps moving beyond them.

Eventually, though, it gets late. Dark outside for several hours, at least.

Abby moves slowly for the stairs. She taken four steps up before Connor hears her stop.

“Uh, Connor,” she speaks, her voice weak, “will you…”

He looks up at her, waiting.

“Will you come to bed?”

If it were any other day, Connor would be ecstatic. He would choke on his surprise, stuttering over his words, and already be running for the stairs.

But today, he simply nods.

This is not an invitation to Abby Maitland’s bed. No, this is his friend asking him for comfort.

And because she asks, he says yes.

He expects nothing, he doesn’t dare. They both need this, he realizes, and she is doing him as much a favor as he for her.

Connor stands and Abby continues up the stairs. He goes slowly, letting her have a moment to herself. Perhaps change her mind, if she needs to.

But he meets her there, and she’s waiting on the end of the bed.

He sits, and she drops her head to his shoulder.

They’ve both said goodbye to a friend, today, and need the comfort and solace of another.

One another, it seems.

Laying down, there is little contact. But then Abby reaches for his hand, which he gladly gives her.

Connor closes his eyes.

Finally, he feels Abby curl against him, her head and other hand on his chest.

He wraps his other arm around her as she sobs quietly into the night, into him.

This will not happen again. Not tomorrow night, or the night after. She needs him now, and that’s enough, he decides.

She needs him now and he’s there.

If she needs him again, he’ll be there.

It’s enough.

And they sleep.


	2. Nick

There is no funeral.

No funeral, no place to grieve or say goodbye properly.

Maybe it’s why it hits them so hard, this loss. Maybe because he was their leader, their linchpin, the center of their operation.

Regardless of the why, the loss is painfully obvious.

No one asks, not this time.

Both of them are a wreck when they get back to the apartment. Connor especially, and Abby senses it.

She walks him in and directly upstairs. No time for sitting around. The dark of night has already descended, and there are no days off for them, even now. They need sleep.

She sits him down on the edge of the bed, and pops downstairs once more to check on Rex.

When Abby returns, Connor hasn’t moved at all.

He needs the comfort tonight, she realizes.

His head in his hands, she crouches down in front of him. “Hey,” Abby whispers.

Connor looks up, meets her gaze.

They’re back here, then. A one-time thing has become two.

“You need to sleep,” she murmurs. “Lay back.”

He doesn’t answer or protest, doesn’t even nod. He simply obeys. It sends an uncomfortable shiver down her spine that she quickly shakes away.

She works herself in beside him, and they’re face to face.

Abby and Connor. There since the very beginning.

And slowly becoming the only ones left.

She gathers his hands in her own, and he squeezes his eyes shut tight. Fresh tears sink toward the bed below.

She watches him with a steady gaze until she’s sure he’s asleep.

We’ll be alright, she thinks. We have each other.

She tries to ignore the thoughts that follow, that beg the questions Do you really? and How?

What’s important is Connor, now.

He needs her now and she’s there.

If he needs her again, she’ll be there.

It’s enough, for now.

She sleeps.


End file.
